Baked alfredo rotini pasta with mushrooms and onions

For this recipe you can use my alfredo sauce, a pre-made sauce, or a sauce mix. I used a mix to save time and get fewer dishes dirty.

Ingredients:

• Cooking oil spray
• 2 cups rotini pasta of your choice (I used whole-grain)
• 1 1/2 cups prepared alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder (you may want to skip this if you are using a sauce or sauce recipe that already has it)
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning (unless your sauce includes it)

Notes:
- Frozen diced onions and frozen or canned sliced mushrooms are another good time-saver. Water will gather in the pan as frozen vegetables warm up, so drain them before adding them to the pasta or use a slotted spoon to transfer.
- If you are using a sauce mix, be sure to have all the ingredients that the package directions list (usually just milk and butter, but this might vary depending on the brand).

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Begin boiling water for the pasta in a medium pot. If you are using a sauce mix to make the alfredo, you may want to go ahead and begin preparing it (according to package directions) so that it can sit and thicken. If you are using a pre-made sauce, you can warm it on a low heat setting, stirring occasionally.
3. When the pasta is partially cooked, combine the mushrooms and onions in a skillet or pan on medium-low heat. Stir together as they start to warm. When the onions sizzle, lower the heat.
4. When the pasta is finished, drain it and return it to its pot. Stir in the onions and mushrooms. Stir in the sauce next, then the garlic and oregano or Italian seasoning.
5. Lightly coat a small baking pan with the cooking spray. Add the pasta and use a spoon or spatula to level it out in the pan.
6. Sprinkle the cheese evenly across the top, then the bread crumbs.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges of the cheese turn golden-brown.